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Chapter　VIII　of　Volume　III　（Chap。　50）
　MR。　BENNET　had　very　often　wished；　before　this　period　of　his　life；　that；　instead　of　spending　his　whole　income；　he　had　laid　by　an　annual　sum　for　the　better　provision　of　his　children；　and　of　his　wife；　if　she　survived　him。　He　now　wished　it　more　than　ever。　Had　he　done　his　duty　in　that　respect；　Lydia　need　not　have　been　indebted　to　her　uncle　for　whatever　of　honour　or　credit　could　now　be　purchased　for　her。　The　satisfaction　of　prevailing　on　one　of　the　most　worthless　young　men　in　Great　Britain　to　be　her　husband　might　then　have　rested　in　its　proper　place。
He　was　seriously　concerned　that　a　cause　of　so　little　advantage　to　any　one　should　be　forwarded　at　the　sole　expence　of　his　brother…in…law；　and　he　was　determined；　if　possible；　to　find　out　the　extent　of　his　assistance；　and　to　discharge　the　obligation　as　soon　as　he　could。
When　first　Mr。　Bennet　had　married；　economy　was　held　to　be　perfectly　useless；　for；　of　course；　they　were　to　have　a　son。　This　son　was　to　join　in　cutting　off　the　entail；　as　soon　as　he　should　be　of　age；　and　the　widow　and　younger　children　would　by　that　means　be　provided　for。　Five　daughters　successively　entered　the　world；　but　yet　the　son　was　to　come；　and　Mrs。　Bennet；　for　many　years　after　Lydia's　birth；　had　been　certain　that　he　would。　This　event　had　at　last　been　despaired　of；　but　it　was　then　too　late　to　be　saving。　Mrs。　Bennet　had　no　turn　for　economy；　and　her　husband's　love　of　independence　had　alone　prevented　their　exceeding　their　income。
Five　thousand　pounds　was　settled　by　marriage　articles　on　Mrs。　Bennet　and　the　children。　But　in　what　proportions　it　should　be　divided　amongst　the　latter　depended　on　the　will　of　the　parents。　This　was　one　point；　with　regard　to　Lydia　at　least；　which　was　now　to　be　settled；　and　Mr。　Bennet　could　have　no　hesitation　in　acceding　to　the　proposal　before　him。　In　terms　of　grateful　acknowledgment　for　the　kindness　of　his　brother；　though　expressed　most　concisely；　he　then　delivered　on　paper　his　perfect　approbation　of　all　that　was　done；　and　his　willingness　to　fulfil　the　engagements　that　had　been　made　for　him。　He　had　never　before　supposed　that；　could　Wickham　be　prevailed　on　to　marry　his　daughter；　it　would　be　done　with　so　little　inconvenience　to　himself　as　by　the　present　arrangement。　He　would　scarcely　be　ten　pounds　a　year　the　loser；　by　the　hundred　that　was　to　be　paid　them；　for；　what　with　her　board　and　pocket　allowance；　and　the　continual　presents　in　money　which　passed　to　her　through　her　mother's　hands；　Lydia's　expences　had　been　very　little　within　that　sum。
That　it　would　be　done　with　such　trifling　exertion　on　his　side；　too；　was　another　very　welcome　surprise；　for　his　chief　wish　at　present　was　to　have　as　little　trouble　in　the　business　as　possible。　When　the　first　transports　of　rage　which　had　produced　his　activity　in　seeking　her　were　over；　he　naturally　returned　to　all　his　former　indolence。　His　letter　was　soon　dispatched；　for　though　dilatory　in　undertaking　business；　he　was　quick　in　its　execution。　He　begged　to　know　farther　particulars　of　what　he　was　indebted　to　his　brother；　but　was　too　angry　with　Lydia　to　send　any　message　to　her。
The　good　news　quickly　spread　through　the　house；　and　with　proportionate　speed　through　the　neighbourhood。　It　was　borne　in　the　latter　with　decent　philosophy。　To　be　sure；　it　would　have　been　more　for　the　advantage　of　conversation；　had　Miss　Lydia　Bennet　come　upon　the　town；　or；　as　the　happiest　alternative；　been　secluded　from　the　world　in　some　distant　farm　house。　But　there　was　much　to　be　talked　of　in　marrying　her；　and　the　good…natured　wishes　for　her　well…doing；　which　had　proceeded　before　from　all　the　spiteful　old　ladies　in　Meryton；　lost　but　little　of　their　spirit　in　this　change　of　circumstances；　because　with　such　an　husband；　her　misery　was　considered　certain。
It　was　a　fortnight　since　Mrs。　Bennet　had　been　down　stairs；　but　on　this　happy　day　she　again　took　her　seat　at　the　head　of　her　table；　and　in　spirits　oppressively　high。　No　sentiment　of　shame　gave　a　damp　to　her　triumph。　The　marriage　of　a　daughter；　which　had　been　the　first　object　of　her　wishes　since　Jane　was　sixteen；　was　now　on　the　point　of　accomplishment；　and　her　thoughts　and　her　words　ran　wholly　on　those　attendants　of　elegant　nuptials；　fine　muslins；　new　carriages；　and　servants。　She　was　busily　searching　through　the　neighbourhood　for　a　‘‘proper　situation''　for　her　daughter；　and；　without　knowing　or　considering　what　their　income　might　be；　rejected　many　as　deficient　in　size　and　importance。
‘‘Haye…Park　might　do；''　said　she；　‘‘if　the　Gouldings　would　quit　it；　or　the　great　house　at　Stoke；　if　the　drawing…room　were　larger；　but　Ashworth　is　too　far　off！　I　could　not　bear　to　have　her　ten　miles　from　me；　and　as　for　Purvis　Lodge；　the　attics　are　dreadful。''
Her　husband　allowed　her　to　talk　on　without　interruption　while　the　servants　remained。　But　when　they　had　withdrawn；　he　said　to　her；　‘‘Mrs。　Bennet；　before　you　take　any　or　all　of　these　houses　for　your　son　and　daughter；　let　us　come　to　a　right　understanding。　Into　one　house　in　this　neighbourhood；　they　shall　never　have　admittance。　I　will　not　encourage　the　impudence　of　either　by　receiving　them　at　Longbourn。''
A　long　dispute　followed　this　declaration；　but　Mr。　Bennet　was　firm；　it　soon　led　to　another；　and　Mrs。　Bennet　found；　with　amazement　and　horror；　that　her　husband　would　not　advance　a　guinea　to　buy　clothes　for　his　daughter。　He　protested　that　she　should　receive　from　him　no　mark　of　affection　whatever　on　the　occasion。　Mrs。　Bennet　could　hardly　comprehend　it。　That　his　anger　could　be　carried　to　such　a　point　of　inconceivable　resentment；　as　to　refuse　his　daughter　a　privilege　without　which　her　marriage　would　scarcely　seem　valid；　exceeded　all　that　she　could　believe　possible。　She　was　more　alive　to　the　disgrace　which　the　want　of　new　clothes　must　reflect　on　her　daughter's　nuptials；　than　to　any　sense　of　shame　at　her　eloping　and　living　with　Wickham　a　fortnight　before　they　took　place。
Elizabeth　was　now　most　heartily　sorry　that　she　had；　from　the　distress　of　the　moment；　been　led　to　make　Mr。　Darcy　acquainted　with　their　fears　for　her　sister；　for　since　her　marriage　would　so　shortly　give　the　proper　termination　to　the　elopement；　they　might　hope　to　conceal　its　unfavourable　beginning　from　all　those　who　were　not　immediately　on　the　spot。
She　had　no　fear　of　its　spreading　farther　through　his　means。　There　were　few　people　on　whose　secrecy　she　would　have　more　confidently　depended；　but　at　the　same　time；　there　was　no　one　whose　knowledge　of　a　sister's　frailty　would　have　mortified　her　so　much。　Not；　however；　from　any　fear　of　disadvantage　from　it　individually　to　herself；　for　at　any　rate；　there　seemed　a　gulf　impassable　between　them。　Had　Lydia's　marriage　been　concluded　on　the　most　honourable　terms；　it　was　not　to　be　supposed　that　Mr。　Darcy　would　connect　himself　with　a　family　where；　to　every　other　objection　would　now　be　added　an　alliance　and　relationship　of　the　nearest　kind　with　the　man　whom　he　so　justly　scorned。
From　such　a　connection　she　could　not　wonder　that　he　should　shrink。　The　wish　of　procuring　her　regard；　which　she　had　assured　herself　of　his　feeling　in　Derbyshire；　could　not　in　rational　expectation　survive　such　a　blow　as　this。　She　was　humbled；　she　was　grieved；　she　repented；　though　she　hardly　knew　of　what。　She　became　jealous　of　his　esteem；　when　she　could　no　longer　hope　to　be　benefited　by　it。　She　wanted　to　hear　of　him；　when　there　seemed　the　least　chance　of　gaining　intelligence。　She　was　convinced　that　she　could　have　been　happy　with　him；　when　it　was　no　longer　likely　they　should　meet。
What　a　triumph　for　him；　as　she　often　thought；　could　he　know　that　the　proposals　which　she　had　proudly　spurned　only　four　months　ago；　would　now　have　been　gladly　and　gratefully　received！　He　was　as　generous；　she　doubted　not；　as　the　most　generous　of　his　sex。　But　while　he　was　mortal；　there　must　be　a　triumph。
She　began　now　to　comprehend　that　he　was　exactly　the　man　who；　in　disposition　and　talents；　would　most　suit　her。　His　understanding　and　temper；　though　unlike　her　own；　would　have　answered　all　her　wishes。　It　was　an　union　that　must　have　been　to　the　advantage　of　both；　by　her　ease　and　liveliness；　his　mind　might　have　been　softened；　his　manners　improved；　and　from　his　judgment；　information；　and　knowledge　of　the　world；　she　must　have　received　benefit　of　greater　importance。　But　no　such　happy　marriage　could　now　teach　the　admiring　multitude　what　connubial　felicity　really　was。　An　union　of　a　different　tendency；　and　precluding　the　possibility　of　the　other；　was　soon　to　be　formed　in　their　family。
How　Wickham　and　Lydia　were　to　be　supported　in　tolerable　independence；　she　could　not　imagine。　But　how　little　of　permanent　happiness　could　belong　to　a　couple　who　were　only　brought　together　because　their　passions　were　stronger　than　their　virtue；　she　could　easily　conjecture。

Mr。　Gardiner　soon　wrote　again　to　his　brother。　To　Mr。　Bennet's　acknowledgments　he　briefly　replied；　with　assurances　of　his　eagerness　to　promote　the　welfare　of　any　of　his　family；　and　concluded　with　intreaties　that　the　subject　might　never　be　mentioned　to　him　again。　The　principal　purport　of　his　letter　was　to　inform　them　that　Mr。　Wickham　had　resolved　on　quitting　the　Militia。
‘‘It　was　greatly　my　wish　that　he　should　do　so；''　he　added；　‘‘as　soon　as　his　marriage　was　fixed　on。　And　I　think　you　will　agree　with　me　in　considerin